The Board found that the Veteran did not clearly and unmistakably have a pre-existing psychiatric disability, and thus service connection cannot be granted for any current acquired psychiatric disability. The claim is denied.
The deciding factor: There was no clear and unmistakable evidence of a pre-existing psychiatric disability prior to active duty service.
- Claimed conditions
- Personality Disorder, Bipolar Disorder not otherwise specified, Depression, not otherwise specified, Anxiety disorder, not otherwise specified
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 15, 2014
- Citation
- 1422074
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1422074.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's claim for an earlier effective date and increased rating for other specified trauma-related disorder was denied. The Board found that the May 1974 denial of service connection for a personality disorder did not address a reasonable raised claim for depression, which is related to the same period.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for PTSD has been granted, and the claims for personality disorder and panic/anxiety disorder have been remanded due to new evidence.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Veteran's appeal is remanded due to the hearing being cancelled and a need for additional clarification of his mental health condition. A VA examination is required to determine the nature and etiology of any diagnosed conditions, including PTSD.
- Denied
The Veteran's motion for revision of the June 25, 2015 rating decision was denied as there was no clear and unmistakable error in assigning an effective date of April 20, 2015 for service connection of major depressive disorder with anxiety disorder. The earliest effective date is the date his claim to reopen was received.
Free starter guide for your own claim
Reading this because you were denied or under-rated? Get the plain-English next steps — your appeal options, the deadline that protects you, and how appeals like yours turn out. One email, no spam.
We will only use this to send the guide. No spam, unsubscribe any time. We never sell your information.
We are not the VA. Veterans’ Rights is an independent resource built for veterans. We are not the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, not part of the government, and not endorsed by any government agency.
This is general information, not legal advice. For advice about your own situation, talk to a VA-accredited representative — many help for free.